'Person of interest' in Upper Darby flashings released

Police in Upper Darby were questioning a 'person of interest' in a number of recent flashing incidents that have targeted teenagers - but have let that person go.

This comes one day after Upper Darby police released a sketch of a man wanted in the case. The sketch is based on the account of one of five alleged victims.

One detail that is consistent among all the victims is that the suspect was driving a blue or green minivan.

When police developed a person of interest early Thursday and were on their way to his house to question him, they spotted the van at a convenience store nearby. The officers stopped to investigate, and as it turns out the driver was the man they were looking for.

The van and the person of interest were brought to the Upper Darby Police Station

Now that the person has been released, there was no word on any other possible suspects.

Police released a sketch of the suspect after a fifth victim came forward on Tuesday. The 18-year-old girl says she saw a man pull up in a bluish-green van at the corner of Huey Avenue and Windamere Road on Monday afternoon. The teen, who attends Upper Darby High School, says the man made eye contact with her, then he looked at his lap, and it was then that the teen realized he was engaged in a lewd act.

Police have no doubt it was the same man who has been on the prowl for two and a half weeks.

Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood tells Action News, "These individuals are sick. They're not dealing with a straight deck. I mean, they truly, truly are predators. And with a sexual predator, based on my experience, they escalate their behavior."

Upper Darby now has five cases of a man preying on youngsters, and at times exposing himself, on the books since February 19th. Most are clustered around this latest reported incident across from the high school. A fifth happened in the Stonehurst section of the township.

The children who have been targeted are all teens, and each report seeing a man with graying facial hair, travelling in a bluish-green minivan.